Page 52 of Unseen

“But you did.” He reached out, stroking a finger along the lace neckline of my dress. “The moment you walked into themanor, you owned me. Your presence possessed my every waking moment.”

“Even when you were with a whore?” I laughed, clasping my gloved hands harder in my lap, feeling very much like Hendridge surely must have. “Even when you were telling them to shut their mouths and pleasure you?”

He snatched up my hands, moving closer still, his eyes boring into mine. “Why do you think I told them not to speak?”

“Because you are a vile monster who thinks of nothing but his own pleasure, and who hates women.”

His eyes wandered over my face, reaching out to take one of my curls between his finger, twirling it slowly. “Because I am your servant, Evie. I worship at the altar of your cunt, of these perfect breasts, and only while those harlots serviced me in silence, could I imagine it was you I was fucking.” He leaned forward, attempting to kiss me, and I jerked my lips away from his. But he was not at all deterred, running his lips along my jawline, and down my neck. “You are my sin, Evie, and one I never wish to be absolved of.”

The fire lit within me again, and I knew certainly that I was destined for the depths of hell. How could I let this man, this man who had violated me, had taken me against my will, who had lain me out to do the most wicked things to myself, how could I let him make me feel this way?

“Did you touch yourself again, beloved?” His hand moved around my waist, stroking up and down the sides of my bodice. “Last night, when you returned to your room?”

“No.” I shook my head, closing my eyes to stop him from seeing the lie that lay within them. “I did not. I would not.”

“Did you press your fingers inside yourself, soaked in my seed?” His tongue darted out, licking my cheek bone, and I gasped. “You looked so beautiful with it, all over your face.”

I sagged a little against him, sighing as my hands came to land on his chest. “Stop it.”

“You don’t even sound convincing anymore. Are you giving up?” He cupped my breast, and sucked in a breath. “My god, I should take you now, in the carriage.”

I gasped, pushing my hands against him and struggling to get as far away from him as I could manage. “Don’t you dare!”

“Standing before that pea-brained clerk, knowing my seed is dripping down your legs.” He growled, low in his throat, taking my hand to stroke his hard length through his trousers. “A perfect start to married life.”

“Azriel!” I wriggled out of his grasp, but was hurled back against him as the carriage rounded a corner. “Stop this depravity!”

“I told you, beloved, I will not stop until the shame that burns your face at this moment is extinguished.” He pulled up my skirts as I fought him. “I will not stop until you are whole, until you are yourself.”

“This is not who I am!” I cried out as his fingers found me, grinding inside me. “You fiend! People will see us!”

“Then let them see!” He grasped my face with his other hand, pushing my cheek against the plush upholstery of the seat, so I was forced to look out of the window of the carriage. “See them all, Evie?” His breath was hot against my ear, his fingers plunging ever deeper. “Do you see all those people? I want them to know you are mine. My wife. My whore. Mine to do with as I see fit. And you love it.”

“No.” The word was no more than a breath, lost in a moan as he found that point inside me, the one that his curled fingers stroked and stroked until I was sure I would lose my mind. “Oh god.”

The carriage came to a halt, and Azriel withdrew fromme, inserting his fingers into his mouth. I watched breathlessly as he licked my arousal from them.

“It is not as good as knowing you are spilling my juices from between your thighs, but shaking his hand with your cunt scenting it shall have to do.” He laughed wickedly, straightening his jacket as I hurriedly pulled my skirts back into place. With a swing of his cane, he threw open the carriage door, putting his top hat on, grinning widely as he extended his hand to me to help me down. “Come along then, Evie. Make me the happiest man to have lived.”

Shame and fury threatened to set me alight as I took his hand. The driver had climbed down, and held an umbrella over my head as we picked our way across the patchwork of deep puddles that dotted the road. We entered the double doors of a simple, almost sterile building, with wood-panelled walls, and a faint smell of mildew. Azriel tapped the rain from his hat as he removed it from his head, and ran a hand through his damp curls.

“There now, we have made it.” He rapped against a door to our left, and was met with a harriedJust a moment!“Are you ready?”

I shook my head. “Stop asking me that.”

He took my hand and raised it to his lips. “Forgive me, beloved, I am merely a bridegroom, embarking on the most wondrous day of his life.” His eyes when they met mine glinted wickedly. “Do not put up too much a fuss, for fear people may suspect you are here against your will. Imagine the questions that might raise.”

I exhaled heavily, pasting a smile on my face. “Do you even have rings? Or were you planning on simply being economic, and having me use the same one again?”

Azriel laughed jovially, tucking his cane under his arm. “I was rather fortunate to have new rings at hand, so the old may be put to rest.”

The door to the office flew open, and we were met with a skinny face topped by thinning hair. The man looked busy, if a person could embody such a thing. His movements were short and sharp, his head flicking from one side to the other as he took us in.

“Mr Caine?” He asked, stepping aside and jerking his head over his shoulder. “I did tell you nine-thirty.”

“But it is nine-thirty, my good fellow.” Azriel escorted me into the cramped office, every surface piled high with papers and binders, the desk barely visible underneath a veritable mountain of paperwork.

The man plucked a pocket watch from his waistcoat, looking down at it with a sigh. “It is nine-twenty-seven.” He looked over his spectacles at Azriel, frowning. “You are early.”

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